Tenerife is the largest island in the Canary archipelago. The area of its territory is just over two thousand square kilometers, the population is over nine hundred thousand inhabitants. The length of the island's coastline is three hundred and forty-two kilometers. It is located approximately in the center of the archipelago.
The island, like the entire archipelago, is of volcanic origin. In the center of it rises a volcano that last erupted more than a hundred years ago.
The island's climate is great. Many travelers refer to it as "eternal spring". There is practically no change of seasons here: in winter the air temperature ranges from twenty to twenty-six degrees Celsius, and in the summer - from twenty-three to twenty-nine degrees Celsius. There are slight climatic differences between the northern and southern parts of the island: it is cooler and damp in the north than in the south.
The island was inhabited long before the new era. The petroglyphs painted on the rocks by the ancient islanders still cannot be deciphered. In the 15th century, the island was colonized by the Spanish. Later, he was repeatedly attacked by pirates. Tourists started visiting the island only at the end of the 19th century.
Municipalities of Tenerife
The island is divided into thirty-one municipalities. Here are the names of several of them:
- Santa Cruz de Tenerife;
- San Cristobal de la Laguna;
- Arona;
- Adeje;
- Puerto de la Cruz;
- La Orotava;
- Guimar.
The listed municipalities are very popular with tourists. However, other municipalities of the island are also worth visiting, they have an excellent tourist infrastructure, there are many interesting sights on their territory; but here we will describe in detail only the seven named municipalities.
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
This municipality is the capital of the island and one of the two capitals of the archipelago. Despite the eventful history, there are not many historical monuments on the territory of the municipality. But there are many interesting sights and tourist places.
One of the main attractions of the municipality is the yellow sand beach. It would seem, what is so special about it? But on the island this beach is the only one, on all other beaches the sand is black! In order to create an unusual landscape, yellow sand from the Sahara was brought to the island in the 70s of the XX century.
On the territory of the municipality is one of the main attractions of the archipelago - Auditorio de Tenerife, a huge concert hall. It was built in the early 2000s. The building looks very unusual.
Another attraction of the municipality is the temple, erected for the Masonic lodge. The building, designed in Egyptian style, was built at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries.
The residents of the municipality are proud of two skyscrapers, they are called here twin towers; these buildings are also local landmarks.
There are other tourist spots on the territory of the municipality. If we talk about interesting events taking place here, then first of all it is necessary to mention the carnival. This incredibly vibrant holiday usually takes place here in the last month of winter.
San Cristobal de la Laguna
This city is the cultural capital of the archipelago. It is under the protection of UNESCO. The city will be appreciated by history lovers: whole old quarters, built about three centuries ago, have been preserved here. Walking through the historical part of the city, you will see historical and architectural monuments almost everywhere. And for such walks, you can choose absolutely any time: the weather is always beautiful here.
What sights exactly can be seen in the city? First of all, you need to name the cathedral. It is built in the neo-gothic style. Another attraction is the Church of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary, built in the 15th century. However, the temple was destroyed by an earthquake and rebuilt in the late 70s of the 18th century. The architectural style in which the building is built is the Canarian Baroque. There are very few examples of this style in the archipelago. The building has the status of a monument of national importance. Its tower is one of the "calling cards" of the city.
You can also mention the house of Lercaro, where the museum is now located. Once the building belonged to a very wealthy family. There is a legend that the daughter of the owner of the house suffered from unrequited love (apparently, the beloved for some reason was not attracted even by the girl's huge fortune) and eventually drowned; now some claim that her spirit is roaming the house.
There are many other attractions in the city.
Arona
The municipality of Arona is located in the south of the island. This is a great resort with amazing beaches and luxury hotels. The municipality is one of the most important tourist centers of the island. Once upon a time, the local population was engaged in cattle breeding and fishing, grew bananas and tomatoes; now most of the residents of the municipality work in the tourism sector.
It will please both lovers of water sports and supporters of a relaxing beach holiday. There is a large selection of good cafes and restaurants, as well as nightclubs. Rest here can be recommended to young people, as well as to everyone who believes that entertainment should be around the clock.
However, in this area you can not only "light" in a nightclub or dive with scuba diving, but also see the sights. If you are interested in history and love nature, you should take a walk through the territory of the municipality. During this walk, visit the historic center: there is a very special atmosphere in the old streets. Walking among the colorful buildings, you will surely take many beautiful photographs. Also visit the local park. There you can see many exotic plants.
Adeje
There is a large resort area here. The headquarters of the Russian Orthodox Church in the archipelago is also located here.
The municipality was once just a small coastal village. It is now one of the most popular tourist destinations on the island. There are especially many tourists here from Europe. Currently, many luxury hotels have been built here, parks are laid out.
This area of the island can be recommended for beach lovers. By the way, here you can not only sunbathe, swim and walk in the parks; there are also other entertainments here - for example, various excursions are held. Some excursion groups go whale watching.
Puerto de la Cruz
The municipality of Puerto de la Cruz is located in the northern part of the island and is one of its tourist centers. The reason for the popularity of this area among tourists is simple: it is located directly on the coast (which implies a beach holiday). The airport is located about twenty-five kilometers from the municipality.
The climate here is humid, and therefore the flora is extremely rich and diverse. The outskirts of the city are buried in evergreen forests. Relic plants can be seen there. Also, the city is surrounded by banana plantations.
The first tourists appeared here at the end of the 19th century. At the same time, the first hotel was built. In the middle of the 20th century, this area of the island turned into a significant tourist center.
Among the most interesting local attractions is the entertainment complex, built by the famous Canarian architect Cesar Manrique. We also recommend visiting the central square, visiting the Museum of Archeology, taking a walk in the botanical and zoological gardens, and seeing ancient temples. You will get vivid impressions from visiting the amazing orchid garden and from staying on the Jardin Beach, where the waves effectively break on the stone cubes separating the coast from the ocean.
La Orotava
This municipality is located in the valley of the same name. Here is the highest point of the island - Teide. It is a volcano located in the center of the national park. The height of the volcano is more than three thousand seven hundred meters. Its last eruption was over a hundred years ago. He is currently asleep. Chunks of his hardened lava are used to create souvenirs.
The volcano is a very popular tourist destination. The area of its crater is sometimes covered with snow. It is connected to the highway by a cable car. From the top of this road, a breathtaking view opens up: you can see several islands of the archipelago at once. If you want to climb to the very top of the volcano, then keep in mind that you can only get there on foot (from the top point of the cable car). In addition, a special pass must be ordered in advance, as access to the summit is limited.
Guimar
In pre-Hispanic times (before the colonization of the island by the Spaniards), one of the ancient kingdoms of the island was located here. The main local attraction is the six pyramids discovered at the end of the 20th century by Thor Heyerdahl. There are several theories about the origin of these unusual historical monuments. Thanks to them, the municipality has become a popular tourist area of the island: about one hundred thousand tourists come here every year.
